Sports Log: Pirates closer Jason Grilli pitches simulated game

Share via e-mail

Pirates closer Grilli nearing a return

Pirates All-Star closer Jason Grilli pitched a simulated game Wednesday and is close to a return from a strained right forearm. Grilli threw 25 pitches to a handful of teammates and said he is encouraged by the results. The 36-year-old has been on the disabled list since injuring his arm in a 6-5 victory over Washington on July 22. Barring a setback, manager Clint Hurdle expects Grilli to make a rehab appearance for Double A Altoona on Saturday . . . Mets pitchers Jenrry Mejia and Jeremy Hefner both underwent elbow surgery. Mejia had a bone spur removed and hopes to be ready for the start of next season. Hefner had Tommy John surgery and will likely be sidelined at least a year . . . Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin will have surgery on his right knee and is done for the season. Quentin has been on the disabled list since Aug. 10 with a strained knee and will have surgery in the next week . . .The Indians placed outfielder Ryan Raburn on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left Achilles’. Raburn has missed 10 of the last 11 games with soreness in his left foot . . . A federal judge in Chicago sentenced former White Sox scouting executive David Wilder to two years in prison for accepting about $440,000 in kickbacks from Latin American players the team had signed. Federal prosecutors say the 52-year-old pleaded guilty to mail fraud in February 2011. They say Wilder got the money from signing bonuses and contract buyouts that two of the team’s Latin American scouts paid to secure about two dozen prospective players.

PRO BASKETBALL

Clippers bring Jamison, 37, aboard

Free agent Antawn Jamison signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The 37-year-old forward moves down the hallway at Staples Center to join the Clippers after starting six of 76 games with the Lakers last season. He averaged 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds. Jamison is a two-time All-Star who enters his 16th NBA season ninth among active players with 19,958 points and eighth in rebounds with 8,102 . . . The Rockets signed free agent swingman Ronnie Brewer, who spent last season with the Knicks and Thunder, averaging 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds . . . In the WNBA, Monique Currie, Tayler Hill, and Ivory Latta each scored 15 points to help the Washington Mystics beat the host Atlanta Dream, 85-80, in overtime Wednesday night.

COLLEGES

Harvard opens with game at Garden

The Harvard men’s basketball team opens its 103d season Nov. 10 against Holy Cross as part of a tripleheader at TD Garden. The event will also feature games between Boston College and Massachusetts, and Northeastern vs. Boston University. The defending Ivy League champions will also make their first trip to Alaska for the Great Alaska Shootout in late November. The Crimson play MIT in their home opener Nov. 12 before welcoming Howard (Nov. 15) and Bryant (Nov. 20) to Lavietes Pavilion. Harvard then begins a six-game road trip starting Nov. 24 at Colorado. Harvard is seeking its fourth straight Ivy title and third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson went 20-10 last year and knocked off third-seeded New Mexico to reach the third round of the tournament . . . Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison apologized for ‘‘getting in trouble,’’ but declined to discuss details about his two arrests or his punishment. Morrison is suspended for Saturday’s season opener against Toledo. Morrison, arrested twice this summer, hardly came across as sincere or remorseful, though. He refused to answer some questions, seemed defiant while answering others, and has a tattoo on his right arm that reads ‘‘Don’t Trust Me.’’

NASCAR

Labonte sidelined by biking accident

Driver Bobby Labonte broke three ribs in a bike riding accident near his home in Trinity, N.C., and will miss this weekend’s NASCAR race in Atlanta. A spokesman for the driver said Labonte was taken to a hospital by ambulance and will be held overnight for observation. He was scheduled to drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He’ll be replaced in the car by Mike Bliss.

MISCELLANY

Vonn ready to give knee a real test

Lindsey Vonn’s surgically repaired right knee is nearly fully healed and she plans to ski this weekend. Vonn said after a gym workout in Vail, Colo., that her knee is almost as strong as her left one. She will ski with the US team in Portillo, Chile, and possibly go through some gates later at the training camp. The four-time overall World Cup champion is looking at a possible return to competition in late November in Beaver Creek, Colo. Vonn tore her ACL during a crash at the world championships in Austria six months ago . . .
Boston Breakers forward Sydney Leroux was named to the National Women’s Soccer League first team. At 23, she was the youngest member of the squad . . .
Carlos Condit (29-7) stopped Martin Kampmann (20-7) early in the fourth round in Indianapolis, putting himself in position to challenge for Georges St. Pierre’s UFC welterweight title.